his rivals Domitius and Messalla got the start of
him. See Asconius, 131 _seq._]

[Footnote 636: He means that Atticus--as a lender of money--would be
glad of anything that kept the rate of interest up (see p. 286). He is,
of course, joking.]

[Footnote 637: Antius is not known. Favonius was a close imitator of
Cato's Stoicism. He was now opposing both Pompey and Caesar strenuously,
but on the Civil War breaking out, attached himself strongly to Pompey.
He was put to death by Augustus after the battle of Philippi (Suet.
_Aug._ 13). He had a very biting tongue. See Plut. _Pomp._ 60.]

[Footnote 638: Drusus was probably Livius Drusus, the father of Livia,
wife of Augustus; he was accused by Lucretius of _praevaricatio_,
"collusion."]

[Footnote 639: This time for _ambitus_.]

[Footnote 640: The _de Oratore_.]

CXLIX (Q FR III, 2)

TO HIS BROTHER QUINTUS (IN GAUL)

ROME, OCTOBER

[Sidenote: B.C. 54, AET. 52]

In the evening of the 10th of October Salvius started on board ship for
Ostia with the things you wished sent to you from home. On that same day
Memmius[641] gave Gabinius such a splendid warming in public meeting
that Calidius couldn't say a word for him. To-morrow (which is strictly
the day after to-morrow, for I am writing before daybreak) there is a
trial before Cato for the selection of his prosecutor between Memmius,
Tiberius Nero, and Gaius and Lucius, sons of M. Antonius. I think the
result will be in favour of Memmius, though a strong case is being made
out for Nero. In short, he is in a fairly tight fix, unless our friend
Pompey, to the disgust of gods and men, upsets the whole concern. Let me
give you a specimen of the fellow's impudence, and extract _something_
amusing from the public disasters. Gabinius having given out wherever he
came that he was demanding a triumph, and having suddenly, the
excellent general! invaded the city of his enemies by night,[642] did
not venture to enter the senate. Meanwhile, exactly on the tenth day, on
which he was bound to report the number of the enemy and of his own
soldiers who had been killed, he slunk into the house, which was very
thinly attended. When he made as if to go out, he was stopped by the
consuls. The _publicani_ were introduced. The fellow was assailed on
every side, and my words stinging him more than all, he lost patience,
and in a voice quivering with anger called me "Exile."
Thereupon--Heavens! I never had such a compliment paid me